Going public the next frontier for scientists

“Climate change scientist Andrew Weaver has paid a price for bringing his research to the public. His University of Victoria office contains a Wall of Hate, filled with the "vitriolic diatribes" of people who can-not accept the overwhelming conclusion of the scientific community that burning fossil fuels is responsible for global warming... He adds that whether you are researching the mating habits of an insect or something more contentious - "climate physics, environ-mental monitoring, genetically modified foods, or even evolution" - there is one constant.That is the importance of having people see your research. ‘Scientists have a duty and responsibility to convey the outcomes of their research to those who ultimately fund it, which is the public.’ Thousands of scientists gathering this week at the Vancouver Convention Centre for the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science know full well that doing the research is only the first step. Getting your results accepted as public policy can be a much greater challenge... Weaver said the role of science is not to prescribe policy outcomes but to inform policy discussions... Weaver said scientists get upset when their work is manipulated to support a purely ideological agenda, something he accuses the federal government of doing on the issue of climate change...”